


Stand By You.

by Kali Cephirot (KaliCephirot)



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Character of Color, Canon Compliant, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Male-Female Friendship, SeaArrow, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-27
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-27 02:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/657111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaliCephirot/pseuds/Kali%20Cephirot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's enough, Artemis thinks, to know that you're not alone. ((Spoilers for The Fix.))</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stand By You.

Artemis hadn't realized how much she had missed the telepathic link M'gann created for them. In Palo Alto it had been... different. She and Wally had tried so hard to be normal that each time she thought she missed anything linked to her superhero life – besides their friends, that's it – she pushed it away.

But now, thousand of miles underwater, after the last few weeks... it's like a breathe of fresh air. They're not actively talking: M'gann is too exhausted after that first try to put Kaldur's mind back, but the link remains there, like a soft blanket thrown over them both. It's enough, Artemis thinks, to know that you're not alone.

That makes her stop, however, from removing her cowl, frowning a bit, before she makes up her mind.

Kaldur is still awake, but it's a different kind of awake now. He blinks, slowly, and if Artemis knows him – and she would like to thinks she does – even without M'gann, without her, he might be trying to shoulder his way through everything on his own.

“Hey, Kaldur,” she says, her voice as soft as she knows how to make it. She's probably the wrong person to be doing this. Her idea of comfort is basically kick stuff away until you stop hurting and this... this isn't the place or the time for that. 

Slowly, Kaldur looks at her. He's aware enough not to say her name, because that is Kaldur in a nutshell: he might not know himself, he might lose himself, but he won't lose the ones he loves. It makes something inside her hurt, a sharp pain that is like a shard of glass.

She promises herself that, once all this is over, she'll talk with Kaldur about it. She'll kick him if it's needed, because her boys are all brilliant and genius and amazing, but sometimes they are incredibly thick boys and it's her duty to make sure they aren't.

She sits by his side on the bed, squeezing his arm gently. She's suddenly, incredibly glad that the glamour allows Kaldur to see her, so it's her smile, her eyes he sees.

“You know I'm not really that great at talking about feelings, Kal,” she whispers.

You are important, she thinks of saying. You're one of my best friends. I've always respected you, I've always admired you. If Black Manta can see how you care about me, how can you NOT see how much I care about you?

Later. Kaldur isn't completely there yet. Just enough. Later they'll speak... and she'll kick his ass. For making her worry so much. For making her think she had lost him for good.

Artemis smiles.

“You better not kick, boss,” she tells him, letting go of his arm just enough so that she can take off her cowl, her boots, and move her legs up the bed. These beds are tiny, even more when you consider how well built Kaldur is – there is no way for her NOT to be aware of that, with how close she is - but there's enough room left that she can just lay down besides him, her head against his shoulder.

“What...?”

His surprise makes her want to laugh. Or cry. Or both. And neither of them would be appropiate, not here. Especially not with the damn camera.

Artemis reaches for Kaldur's hand, carefully, and she turns her face away from the camera and any chances that her lips might be read.

“You're not alone, Kaldur,” she whispers against the warm skin of his shoulder. She squeezes his fingers a bit. “I'm right here.”

It takes a few moments – and she worries about that, that he might not understand, that it might be lost – but then, gently, Kaldur's fingers press back against hers.


End file.
